How to Use Outdoor Advertising with Your Digital Marketing Strategy

Adding outdoor advertising to your digital marketing mix can pack some serious punch if you do it right. The key is to get strategic with how you use both. For example, outdoor ads can help you connect with more people and drive them to take action online. Here’s how to pull it off:

Understand Your Target Audience 

You need to start off by understanding behavioral data about your target audience. This includes gleaning details on where they commute, which routes they take, and what billboards they pass. You can uncover these audience insights through market research or geo-targeting data from digital ads. It is also possible to use third-party providers. The goal is to understand where your audience is physically located and which outdoor assets they interact with.

Geo-Target High Traffic Areas

Armed with audience data, you can geo-target specific high traffic locations that your audience frequents. Maybe data shows they drive a certain highway route each day or wait at a busy bus stop. Use this intel to place outdoor ads like billboards and transit ads in front of them. Tailoring outdoor placement by audience behavior ensures the highest chance they will notice. Make sure that you take data-driven decisions, so that you can increase your chances of securing success. 

Drive Traffic Digitally

Don’t just place an outdoor ad and hope for the best. Actively drive people from real world to online. Include a specific CTA like directing them to a landing page, coupon code, or social media. Create a seamless journey from outdoor exposure to digital action. This could be done by showcasing a discount code on a billboard that must be used online or posing an intriguing question to spark interest and drive them to your site or social pages.

Get Interactive

Today’s consumer seeks more than passive ad exposure. Utilize interactive elements to command attention and prompt digital action. Augmented reality allows traditional OOH ads to come alive digitally when viewed through a mobile device. It bridges the best of both worlds. Or use QR codes so people can instantly scan with their smartphone camera to get redirected online from an outdoor spot. This will eventually help you with increasing your conversion rates as well. 

Complement Campaigns

Synchronize your outdoor ads with broader digital efforts for amplification. If running a social media contest or email promotion, echo the concept on banners and posters. Similarly, if advertising a sale on a highway billboard, reinforce with complementary digital ads. Align the look and feel across channels. Outdoor can act as a launch pad for kicking off or supporting digital efforts.

Test and Optimize

The many variables in outdoor advertising like ad sizing, messaging, color and placement mean testing different versions is key. Take an agile, test-and-learn approach with your outdoor ads, refining based on performance. Which billboard location delivers the most scans or online traffic? Does a certain transit ad creative drive more conversions? Let data dictate what’s working best.

Monitor Attribution

To gauge true impact, track attribution from outdoor exposure to online activity. Use UTM parameters or unique codes to differentiate ad sources. If showcasing a special coupon on posters, give it a specific code versus the website generic. Tools like Google Analytics can reveal how many sites visits, searches and conversions result. This allows you to calculate ROI and prioritize high-value placements.

Final Words 

As you can see, outdoor advertising and digital marketing can mutually support one another when thoughtfully integrated. Location targeting, clear CTAs and multi-channel alignments are key for ensuring your outdoor ads unlock their full potential to connect with audiences and drive online action. Test out these tips for executing a unified outdoor and digital advertising strategy.

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